Originally published in the Autumn 2024 edition of the Virginia Defender, issue 75, printed November 6. Reproduced here for accessibility and archival purposes. To find other stories in the Autumn 2024 issue or to download the full PDF, see this post. For other issues dating back to 2012, see the Full Issues page.

Nov. 5 is a big day for The Virginia Defender. It’s the day we finally go to press.

We had planned to be out three weeks ago, but the crisis at the Red Onion super-max prison (see the story on the front page) demanded a lot of time. We also had the Gabriel Rebellion commemoration on Aug. 30, the 22nd Gabriel Gathering on Oct. 10 and preparing for the Black cemeteries conference on Nov. 23.

And, yes, we know Nov. 5 is also Election Day, but this year that isn’t so important for us. We weren’t going to endorse anyone for president, senator or Richmond mayor, and didn’t have strong opinions on the other local candidates.

What we are laser-focused on is what happens after Nov. 5.

If Trump wins, we’ll be facing an extremely right-wing, racist, authoritarian government led by a man who thinks Hitler “did some good things.” If Harris wins, we may well see a violent backlash from Trump’s followers.

And voting for Harris, after she’s stood by while her administration funds the genocide in Gaza, was never an option. If that horror isn’t enough to make you hold your vote, then you’ll have lost any hope you think you may have had to stop the Democrats’ steady move to the Right.

As we’ve been saying for years, if all we have between us and fascism is the Democratic Party, we are truly doomed.

For months now, the Defenders have been talking with other activists about how to prepare for the political tsunami that’s headed toward us at breakneck speed. We need to commit to coming together to defend ourselves, our organizations, our communities and our movement against whatever threats we’ll be facing.

And first, we all need to close ranks and defend our immigrant sisters and brothers, who are first in line to be attacked, no matter who wins the White House.

What’s needed is a true United Front of all working-class organizations and all communities of color. And not everyone who votes against the Democrats is lost. Some can be reached. But they first need to be challenged to reject the racism that oppresses people of color and divides us all.

We have a tremendous amount of work to do in a very short period of time. If you want to fight back, get in touch.

We’re here, and we’re not waiting for the camps to open.